Little Falls transcript., 1887-04-22
AZ GIRL BUIlLaFIGHTER,
Expert Work in the Ring by . Asxiean tiIrl--.k
ii Wonderful Thrust. 0

Expert Work in the Ring bysa Hexiean Girl
II Wonderfal Thrust. 5.5f
Indianapolis Journal. s
Just prior to theft aking effect Of the q
decree against bull fighting, I was for
tunate enough to witness q contest. IN b
which one Of the most skillfnl, daring
and expert oi the professional fighters
of Mexico took a leading part. This
performer was a young woman, whose
equal has probably never appeared 10 Fl
the PLAZA de Toros. !" In this her
farewell exhibition Senorlta Herman:
dez advertised for the widest and
fercest bulls the country could pro-
duce, and agreed to fight them while
wearing stills. The novelty OF g
young girl engaging in q bull
fight, Handicapped by having
stills fastened to her feet, was subj
cient to attract q vast crowd, and on
the day fixed for the event fully live
thousand persons found places to sit
or stand in the large ampitheater. !
The animals provided for the occa-
sion were small, active and wholly un-
tanned, each having his horns trimmed
and polished until the points were as
bright and almost as sharp as needles.
Never was more expert work done IN
this cruel sport than was coolly per-
formed by the Mexican girl On that
day. -.
AS the bull, mad with rage, would
make his furious charge, she would
stand until he had approached with
IN a, distance of about three feet, when
suddenly springlng to one side,
she would, as the animal rush
ed furiously by, with one hand slap
him in the face with the red cloak
with which his anger had first
been aroused, while with the other
hand she dextrously thrust into his
neck a. gaudy barbed "banderilla,"
causing him to roar with pain and
rage. Charge after charge was made
by the maddened brute, only to be
eluded by the active girl, while the bull
met the same treatment as before.
The little senorita played with bim,
plagued and tortured him as a cat
would g. mouse, until the animal, bleed
ing and sore and worn out with fatigue
and pain, gave up the contest and
would fight no more. He had met his
conqueror, and was taken fromthe ring
In the next contest the fair Castilian
was under an advertised obligation,
while yet wearing the stills, to kill the
bull with sword seal cely more than
two feet in length. This was to be
done by the toreadora at the time
the animal was making the charge, the
fatal thrust to be given while she was
directly in front of and fairly facing
the bull
The animal selected for this contest
was beautiful specimen of his race.
Black as coal, agile as cat, savage
and wild, he was no sooner within the
arena than he was ready Tor the bat
tie. After he had been permitted
to make a charge Or two to warm
him to his work, the Governor, who
presided on the occasion, gave 81 sig
nal and the bugle sounded the death
CALL" The senorita. with stilts Of one
foot in height securely fastened to her
limbs, received the short sword, salut-
ed the Governor, and, turning to her
enemy, gave a. shout Of defiance and
waved her scarlet cloak to arouse his
anger.
At this time the distance separating
the antagonists was almost two hun
dred feet. Toro, quivering with excite
ment and paving the earth in his rage,
waited for no second invitation.
With flashing eyes and head lowered
| to the ground, he started at full
| speed for the subject Of his hate. The
brave girl waited until the beast was
within twenty feet, when bracing her.
self firmly, she held her sword at
shoulder height ready for his coming.
When within about four feet she
threw her body suddenly for
ward, gave a quick thrust with the
| sword, and, without waiting to see
the effect of the blow, swung quickly
around and again saluted the govern
or. In a twinkling of an eye she turn
ed to face the bull, and as she did so
he dropped dead, so close to her that,
without movin, from her position, she
placed one foot upon the neck OF her
now helpless enemy.
The sword directed bv the strong
arm of the self-possessed girl, had sew
cred the spinal cord, and death was
instantaneous and probably painless.
1t was q perilous feat, skillfullv and
fearlessly performed, and the slightest
nervousness on the part of the per-
former would probably have resulted
in her death. The great audience in
recognition OF the skill of the brave
toreadora, rose ITO it's feet, and for
several moments there was a shower
of gold and silver coins failing around
the victorious girl.